7 Ridiculously Overpaid Government Workers

Most government jobs aren't glamorous. You don't usually get to jet around the world if you're working for, say, the Division of Zoning. But government jobs have at least been considered secure -- and as offering great benefits.

The report marks the first of its kind for the CBO, but the comparable trend between the private and public sectors' wage differential has been growing since 2001. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average income in the private sector has grown $11,658 over that time to last year's total of $47,815. But for the public sector, the growth is more than double that, with the figure having risen $25,343 to last year's average salary of $75,296 for all government workers, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Of course, at the same time, many of the prized public sector benefits are being chipped away -- and layoffs have been imposed by cash-strapped state governments, too. But still, while a large number of government workers are motivated primarily by serving the public, and might actually earn less than they could in the private sector, there are others -- from plumbers to executives -- who have wound up with surprisingly high-paying gigs. Some may have possibly used illegal means (and are awaiting trial). What do they all have in common? Their pay was footed by taxpayers, like you and me.